Thorn in Your Eye
by MaidenofAlchemy
Summary: Bianca never had a say in anything about her life and is married off to Lord Bernhard. She longs for death and would have never guessed of her fate, or yet, that of her unwanted unborn child, Walter Bernhard. Based of info from the LoI manga.


Raw hate coursed through her veins thicker than her blood. Bianca stood with her arms crossed and glared towards the old apple tree. The tree had died years before her birth and remained an unearth skeleton in the meadow. But her sight lingered on the grave in the roots of the tree.

Her father was once an honorable warrior and would have been lord of the village. But instead his corpse rots beneath the ground because his honor and pride wouldn't let the drunken fool forgo a stupid fight that cost him his life. She spared a quick glance over her shoulder.

Her step-mother and their guests conversed like she wasn't standing in the doorway of the pitiful hut. Bianca dared not glare her hate towards them for the man would surely hit her if not her step-mother did not. If her father was alive he would have had the man pay fully for the wedding but instead her step-mother was basically selling her hand as if Bianca was a mere slave.

'_And she'll not doubt keep my dowry._' Bianca turned away before she smirked. Little did her step-mother that Bianca had taken the only valuable item in her dowry years ago before her father had married the wench. She could remember the day her birth mother lay on her deathbed and showed her the dowry. The second her mother drew her final breath, Bianca took the small black gem and hid it from everyone, though no one else seemed to know about the gem.

"BIANCA!" Her step-mother snapped.

Bianca made her face emotionless and turned to her step-mother and guests. "Yes, Ma'am?"

She was startled to find the man standing right in front of her. He was much taller than her with cold blue eyes and blonde hair. Bianca bit her tongue to keep silent and lowered her glaze. She nearly flinched as a hand came up and lifted her chin.

"She will do." He said as he studied her face.

Bianca glared at him for a moment before realizing her mistake. But the man only smirked and stepped away from her.

"Come, Mother. Night approaches and 'tis best we return home." The man told the other guest, a rather old woman with grey hair and sunken in eyes.

"May the lord bless you, Lord Bernhard, for taking my step-daughter's hand." Her step-mother called after them.

Bianca immediately when to the kitchen as the last of the sun's rays faded away. The hearth was lit from making tea earlier so she only had to put the pot on the flames.

"At least a decent man," Her step-mother stated. Bianca didn't need to turn around to see the woman's smirk. "He'll teach you your place."

Bianca listen to her step-mother's footfall as she left the room with hands white from clutch the pot, ready to beat her step-mother's skull in.

…

"You are lovely." Her soon-to-be mother-in-law purred as Bianca stood waiting for the elder woman's approval.

The white wedding gown was made of softer fabric than the wool she was used too. Her red hair was pulled away from her face in braids and curls more fitting a peasant girl becoming a noblewoman. A pale white rose was tucked in her hair.

Bianca was barely sixteen years of age and yet she was being prepared for a wedding ceremony that she did not want or have a say to. She hated many people and blamed them for her current dilemma. Especially her father for not being alive to fight on her behalf. She was disgusted even more with herself not killing her step-mother when she had the chance so the wench wouldn't have freedom while Bianca was forced to marry a man she was basically sold to.

Bianca wished that someone had named her a witch because of her crimson hair and hazel eyes, which she shared with her birth mother and was uncommon among the other people of this land, so she would be burned or stoned to death. She would have even given her soul to live the life of a poor scavenger and become an old maid or even become a whore than become that man's bride.

Lord Bernhard may be the richest man in the village but she was not deaf to the rumors about him. Many of the girls would be bedded by him before their wedding nights instead of them giving their virginity to their husbands, a right as he called it. A few were rumored to carry his children, but those girls would suddenly lose their unborn babies or mysteriously die.

Lady Bernhard nodded, her head seemed like it would fall off her shoulders. The elder woman reminded Bianca of a skeleton more and more every time they met. She only hoped that old bat died soon.

Bianca jumped as she felt the woman's hand on her bare shoulder. "I am sorry for this, my dear. Believe what you may but my son does fancy you."

The girl said nothing, not even looking at her. Lady Bernhard bowed her head and left so she could tell them to start the ceremony. Bianca was lead to her groom by his servant, Volks. Their eyes meet and she could only see lust not fancy in his eyes. He took hold of her hand and gripped it harshly as the ceremony continued.

…

Bianca felt sick. She left the warmth of her rough wool bed, hurried to a chamber pot she kept hidden and threw up. Disgusted with herself she sank to her knees after hiding the pot. Then she went to the water basin and washed out her mouth.

She knew without a doubt now that she was with child. The thought brought a mild relief at the possibility of coming death after being married for two years. Lying back down, she closed her eyes in thought. Any thoughts about her child only made her pity the poor unborn creature. If Bianca cared, she would hope that it would be a son.

"Milady?" Volks called from outside her bedroom door.

Bianca frowned as she stood again. She slept in a separate room from her husband and they had very little contact besides during the nights when he summoned her to his room. Volks often brought her breakfast to her room since she took to remaining in her own room in the mornings. Her mother-in-law passed and Lord Bernhard never awoke before noon.

Bianca opened the door and the servant handed over the tray. Volks swiftly bowed and hurried off since Bianca never allowed anyone into her room. Bianca set the tray on the table. At the moment, none of the fresh fruit on it appealed to her.

She went to the window, drawing back the curtains. Looking out, Bianca noticed something odd. Heavy smoke rose in the sky from across the wide valley they lived in. Then she heard shouting from downstairs.

Bianca had just stepped out of her room when Volks rushed past her. Curious, she followed him. Volks was knocking on Lord Bernhard's door.

"Milord!"

The door opened. "What is it."

Bianca lowered her eyes when her husband looked sharply at her.

"Milord, pagans are attacking the other villages within our valley. They are headed this way."

Interest rose in Bianca. The pagans had been driven from these lands long ago though still attacked at times. Bianca failed to realize her husband was speaking to her. Suddenly, she fell upon the floor. The side of her face stung as she gently touched it. She looked up at Lord Bernhard who stood over her.

"Well, wench, don't just stand there like a fool. Get your most needed belongings. NOW!"

Volks helped her to her feet. Bianca had never wanted to tear his heart out more than now. She jerked away from the servant and marched into her room. She had little to pack anyway. Making sure she wasn't being watched, Bianca removed a floor broad and took out a leather poach which held her black gem. She hid it in the dress she changed into before going down to meet her husband.

…

Days passed since they flew into the mountains. Volks led the way as Lord Bernhard helped Bianca along the way, having softened up to her now that he knew she was with child. Her husband had even given her a small blade which she yearned to pierce through his heart.

One day, they decided to set up camp for the night. Volks disappeared to look for food. Bianca rested against a log. She placed a hand over her growing stomach. A shadow suddenly fell on her, startling her.

"I did not mean to scare you." Lord Bernhard knelt beside her.

"You did not."

A dead silence fell between them. With a sigh, Bianca took his hand and put it on her stomach. Her husband seemed fond of this act, though he was too scared to try to touch her. '_He fucks me but won't simply touch my belly._' She thought bitterly.

"I want our child to be called Walter, if it be a boy." He said.

A twig snapped. Lord Bernhard stood, pulling her onto her feet. Bianca jerked her arm away. Volks appeared though he wasn't alone. Two men were with him.

Volks spoke in another tongue to the men. Bianca realized what was happening. As did her husband. But while he drew his sword, the men already held naked swords in their hands and attacked. Lord Bernhard was able to ram into one and knocked him to the ground. But he was too late to stop the other as the pagan thrusted his sword at Bianca.

She screamed at the blade sank into her chest. Her husband took hold of her attacker and tossed him back.

"RUN!" Lord Bernhard yelled.

Bianca wasted no time in running. She had seen Volks fleeing the other way as she ran through the trees. Blood poured from her chest as she stumbled too close to a slope that was far from the fighting. Her foot caught in a root and she tripped, rolling down the slope.

Bianca screamed as she stopped by hitting a tree. She whimpered and struggled to pull herself up. Gasping in pain, she leaned her back against the tree.

Night had fallen. Bianca looked around, seeing nothing. She touched the wound on her chest. "I do not wish to die!"

Suddenly, a movement caught her eye. Bianca looked forward as a monster came from the darkness.

It tilted its head as it looked at her with red eyes. It spoke with a voice like dead leaves dragging across the ground "_**Let's help your life in exchange for someone's life.**_"

Bianca understood. She was about to name her husband until another thought came to her. If Lord Bernhard was still alive, she highly doubted that he would think she was alive. '_This is my chance for freedom._' She thought.

"I give you the life of my unborn child, Walter Bernhard." Bianca offered eagerly, spitting out the would be name of the baby even though she was not sure it was a boy.

"_**Too late, woman.**_" The demon chuckled. "_**Another has already covenanted.**_"

Bianca's eyes widened in shock and fear. Before she could move, the demon's claws dug into her stomach. She screamed as it ripped the baby from her womb. She slumped onto her side dead.

…

Walter Bernhard sat on his throne lost in memories that he had nearly forgotten over the centuries. He smirked as he remember that night he was born. He had made the offer with the demon faster than his mother. The demon saved his life and used its unholy magic to make him grow not only into a man but also made him a vampire.

Walter leaned back with a sigh. When he was in the womb, he sensed his mother's thoughts and feelings. He loved her even though she didn't love or even want him. It was irony that he looked just like her, sharing his mother's crimson hair and hazel eyes.

'_She was beautiful,_' the vampire mildly thought as he remembered looking upon her face. His fingers went to the Ebony stone that hung around his neck. He had taken the gem from his mother's corpse. With a smirk, Walter silently thanked Bianca for all that she had given him.

* * *

Author's Note

Wow, I actually wrote this. Ok, I decided to write this based off of the talk on the castlevania wiki for Walter Bernhard's background. According to what I read, his background appears in the manga version of LoI. I simply too the plot outline given and made it a one-shot. Enjoy this possible origins story for Walter. If anything's misspelled or wrong, IDFK cause I wrote this at 3 am.


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